Friday, January 4, 2013

Year 2, Day 6 Currently working on a bone

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Monday, October 8, 2012

Crash - My Sister (ex·tra·or·di·naire)

06-Oct-2012
Crash officially began her performance career last weekend at her very first CDDA trial, earning her RPT title (Retrieval proficiency test). She also managed 71 points towards her Disc Dog (DD) title, and 2 out of 3 legs towards her BDF (Basic Disc Freestyle) title. I'm sure she would have had it if her partner (me) hadn't been sicker than a dog and had to pull out. What a phenomenal dog to play and train with.

DOB:        December 28, 2010
Height:    18"
Weight:    35 lbs
OFA:        to be tested December 2012
CERF:       Cleared Annually
Genetics:  Red - Factored, Blue merle w/ Copper/White
                MDR1 - N/N by parentage
Other:      HIC - Herding Instinct Certification
                RPT - Retrieval Proficiency Test (passed)
 



What puddle Eats - Legacy Pet Foods (manufactured Edmonton/Alberta, Canada)




Each round patty is 0.5 pounds. 

Puddle consumes 1 pound of raw meat a day. Puddle is approximately 50 pounds. 

Legacy Pet Foods: http://legacypetfoods.com/Home_Page.html
Daily feed portions: http://bit.ly/Oyejs9 

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Day 635 - North Saskatchewan River - Edmonton, Alberta

Bella the French Bull Dog - 5 year old natural pack leader (cousin of puddle)

Bailey the Pug - Age 8 years of pure dough (cousin of puddle) 

 Puddle (50 pounds) going out to the North Saskatchewan River with Uncle Benny. 


"Miniature" Australian Shepherd named Marcus - 25 pounds - coming over to say: "hello" 


Walking along the North Saskatchewan River



Fresh water river clam discovered by Angry Bird

Monday, September 10, 2012

Dogs from Western Canada compete in flyball tournament


Dogs from across Western Canada travelled to Saskatoon for the Diamonds In the Ruff flyball tournament at the Kinsmen Soccer Centre on Sept. 8, 2012.










Saturday, August 25, 2012

Canine nose for poop




Max, an Australian cattle dog mix, can sniff out owl poop and pellets.

Photograph by: Handout , University of Washington


A canine nose for poop could help protect the habitat needed for the threatened northern spotted owl.
Dogs trained to sniff out poop and pellets of regurgitated lumps of bones and fur were 30 per cent more successful in finding spotted owls than when trying to track their bird calls, says a University of Washington study, published this month in the scientific journal PLoS ONE.
Lead author Sam Wasser, director of the university's Center for Conservation Biology, said an invasion of barred owls made it difficult to identify spotted owls by their calls. "They will take over the territory and sometimes even kill the spotted owls."
That means, even when researchers offer spotted owls a mouse, they sometimes remain silent.
"They are reluctant to respond because the barred owl would come down and whack them," Wasser said.
It is important to identify spotted owl habitat in B.C. and U.S. old-growth forests because, when nests are found, stricter logging regulations are put in place.
Enter Shrek, a Labrador retriever, and Max, an Australian cattle dog - canines that are obsessive about their owl-finding work. Researchers were surprised at how successful the dogs were, especially in Canada, where there are not a lot of owls, Wasser said.
It is essential to have the right dogs, he said. "All our dogs are like narcotics dogs. They have an extremely high play drive - mainly for a ball. If you put a throwing ball next to a steak, they will take the ball rather than the steak."
The dogs came from the pound and were surrendered because they were driving their owners crazy, Wasser said. "They are maniacs when they come to us, but they quickly fall into place when they realize it's all about a ball. They are romping around in the woods and smelling poop. What could be better?"
Northern spotted owls range from B.C. to northern California. In the U.S., it is estimated there are 3,000 to 5,000 pairs and the population is dropping by four per cent a year.
In B.C., 10 spotted owls were found last year - four more than the previous year - including three breeding pairs. There are also 13 spotted owls in the captive breeding program.
Owl call searches are used in Canada, followed by daytime searches for nests.
"The methodology is not foolproof, but works pretty well," said forests ministry spokesman Brennan Clarke."Where possible, spotted owls are fitted with tracking devices and monitored electronically."
Poop-sniffing dogs is an interesting idea, he said.
"But we'll have to wait and see how it works in Washington state before deciding if it would work for us."


Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/life/What+hoot+Pooches+sniff+poop/7144633/story.html#ixzz24cQh81Gx

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Day 589 Fireside

(near the vacinity of...) Emma Lake, Saskatchewan / Canada
.

Mr. Galileo

(near the vicinity of...) Emma Lake, Saskatchewan / Canada

Monday, August 6, 2012

By Trout Pond

(near the vicinity of...) Emma Lake, Saskatchewan / Canada

By Canoes

(near the vicinity of...) Emma Lake, Saskatchewan / Canada 

Thursday, July 26, 2012

CitizenPET - Journal of Animal Companionship Spring 2012 Edition

(Click on the Photo to enter into CitizenPET Journal of Animal Companionship)

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Day 573 - Jackie Parker Off Leash

Photo #1: Classic stance of the "Puddle" Jumper (breeder registered name); approximately 50 pounds

Photo #2: Trotting along the trail system that lines Jackie Parker Off Leash Dog Park, encompassing several acres of green space including a forested creek. 

Photo #3: Wide open fields. Prairie blue and clouded sky